Why the cause?

Mental health is near and dear to my heart because I have dealt with it for the majority of my life.

While I don’t necessarily enjoy bringing up my depression and anxiety in conversation (who would?), I do think it is important to talk about it, which is why I’m hiking to raise awareness for mental illness regardless of age.

According to Mental Health America, 1 in 5 Americanshas a mental health condition. The National Institute of Mental Health just states that tens of millions of people are affected by mental health disorders in the United States every year. Of course, all of these numbers are just estimations because so many cases go untreated.

Regardless of the exact number, it is too high to be keeping quiet about it. The sooner we can remove the stigma of mental health problems and can treat mental illnesses as seriously as physical illnesses, the sooner more people will be willing to get treatment.

Organizations like iFred, No Stigmas, and ADAA work to help those with mental illnesses get help and reduce the negativity that surrounds them. Check them out!